A typical vehicle has at least one access door. Such a door typically has a latch mechanism actuated by an outside door handle to gain access to the interior of the vehicle. Vehicles are sometimes subject to unauthorized entry and theft. To prevent such unauthorized entry while permitting authorized access, on at least some of the vehicle doors the latch mechanism is provided with an externally actuated lock having a key cylinder rod. Attempts to gain unauthorized entry into the vehicle include triggering the door latch mechanism by forcibly manipulating the key cylinder rod in the door. An anti-theft device such as a shield may be placed in the door assembly to prevent unauthorized access or tampering of the key cylinder rod. The shield is typically attached within the door assembly via a fastener such as a threaded stud, thereby taking up packaging space and shifting the glass run channel by about 10 mm.